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MIDDLE EAST | Updates from regional conflicts:

• Israel's Channel 12 media outlet cites government sources as saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working on a plan with senior advisors to implement a potential complete military take-over of Gaza for the first time in two decades. [more]
• Reports say dozens of Palestinians were killed or wounded yesterday in a continuation of violence and crowd rushes as Gaza residents attempt to reach food distribution points and airdropped aid in the Palestinian enclave. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,258 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• NATO said yesterday that the military alliance has begun coordinating new regular deliveries of large weapons packages to Ukraine, starting with the delivery of about $578 million worth of air defense equipment, ammunition, and other military aid from the Netherlands. Reports note that most of the new aid is being purchased from the United States. [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | Amidst ongoing tensions over Republican plans to re-draw congressional districting maps, the Texas state House issued civil arrest warrants yesterday for Democratic members of the chamber who left the state to prevent a vote on the changes. In an apparently related move, reports say Democratic lawmakers in California are considering changes to their state's congressional districts to offset potential Republican gains in Texas. [more on TX] [more on CA]

U.S. TRAVEL VISAS | The State Department has proposed requiring applicants for business and tourist visas to post a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the United States. The requirement would apply to applicants from countries determined to have high visa overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls, but not to citizens of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Program, most of which are in Europe. [full Federal Register proposal] [more]

NEW JERSEY | Chemical makers Dupont, Chemours, and Corteva have agreed to pay New Jersey $875 million and create a remediation fund of up to $1.2 billion to settle environmental claims stemming from pollution by so-called "forever chemicals" at sites operated by the companies in the state. [more]

ARKANSAS | A federal judge ruled yesterday that a new Arkansas law requiring public classrooms to display the Ten Commandments cannot be enforced in four of the state's school districts where parents challenged the law on grounds of violating the separation of church and state. Reports note that it remains unclear if groups supporting the parents' lawsuits will seek a broader, potentially state-wide, block of the law. [more]

U.S. AND CANADA | As smoke spreads from scores of uncontrolled wildfires in Canada, air quality alerts are in place today for 10 U.S. states from Minnesota to Connecticut. Reports say 2025 is already the third most destructive year for wildfires in Canada by acres burned since records began in 1983. [more]

RUSSIA | Citing what it claims are plans by the U.S. and allies to deploy intermediate-range missiles to Europe, the Russian Foreign Ministry said yesterday that Russia no longer considers itself bound by a self-imposed moratorium on the deployment of nuclear-capable intermediate range missiles. [more]

YEMEN | In a revision of its earlier estimates, the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration now says the death toll from Sunday's migrant boat shipwreck off the coast of Yemen stands at 56 and that 132 people remain missing. [more]

AFGHANISTAN | The World Food Program says Afghanistan is experiencing its sharpest-ever surge of child malnutrition, with almost 10 million people – a quarter of the country's population – facing acute food insecurity. The organization says some $539 million are needed to provide food to Afghanistan's most vulnerable families. [more]

U.K. AND FRANCE | As part of joint efforts to reduce illegal migration, a deal between the U.K. and France takes effect today under which France will accept the return of undocumented people arriving in Britain by small boats in exchange for Britain agreeing to accept an equal number of legitimate asylum seekers with British family connections. [more]

BRAZIL | The Brazilian Supreme Court yesterday ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to be held under house arrest during his trial on charges related to an alleged coup attempt following his 2022 electoral defeat. [more]

IRAN | Government offices and banks will be closed across much of Iran tomorrow as part of government efforts to relieve stress on the country's power grid amidst surging summer temperatures. [more]

ISRAEL | The Israeli Cabinet voted yesterday to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who has been accused by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters of exceeding her authority by blocking decisions by the elected government. The country's Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the firing while it considers the legality of the move. [more]

HONG KONG | Local meteorologists say more than 13.8 inches of rain fell on Hong Kong today – the Chinese territory's highest daily rainfall for August since 1884 – causing flooding and widespread disruption of travel, schools, and public services. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1964, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson put the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution before Congress. The resolution served as the principal constitutional authorization for the subsequent escalation of the U.S. military's involvement in the Vietnam War. [more history]